Hangi in a Pot - No Hole Required

Yesterday Andy did a little experiment.  A while ago someone told me how to cook a hangi in a pot so he thought he'd try it out.  It actually turned out pretty well and he wished that he had this recipe when we lived in Canada as he really missed the taste of a good hangi.  

If you'd like to try it here are the step by step instructions.

A hangi is the traditional way Maori cook their food in the ground.  This version doesn't require you to dig a hole, but I do suggest you cook it outside otherwise it will smell the whole house out.  You get the full hangi flavour.

Ingredients:

• 1 cabbage
• 4 chicken thighs
• 4 pork chops
• 4 peeled potatoes
• 4 peeled kumara
• 1/2 pumpkin cut into pieces
• River stones
• 2 tbsp manuka chips (purchased at Mitre10)

Start with a large heavy pot and some river stones.  Put the stones in the bottom of the pot.

Sprinkle over the Manuka sawdust - I found the taste a little strong so next time I think we'll add one tablespoon of Manuka and one of something else.

Cover the stones with two or three layers of washed (still wet) cabbage leaves.  These cabbage leaves are to insulate the food so it doesn't burn.  You won't eat these ones.

Now add the meat - we used pork chops and then chicken drumsticks on top but you could use other types of meat.

And now the vegetables - potatoes, pumpkin and kumara (sweet potato or the Canadians call them red yams).

Cover the whole lot with more wet cabbage leaves.  You can eat these ones.

Dampen a tea towel or piece of muslin and put over the top - tuck down the sides.  

Now put on the lid and cook for 3 hours on high.  As you can see - we used our camp stove.  Just leave it alone and don't take the lid off even though you'll be tempted.  The cabbage leaves on the bottom burned a little but you don't eat them. Don't add any more water, the water from the cabbage leaves and damp cloth will be enough.

Hope you enjoy this New Zealand fare. Oh and we cooked the peas indoors on the stove.